Thursday, November 19th

Taste Like a ProHost: Jamie DrummondSommelier / Editor$70 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.Acclaimed sommelier and editor of goodfoodrevolution.com, Jamie will guide you through the language of wine and uncover your hidden talent for wine tasting. Having worked in top-rated restaurants in Scotland and Toronto, Jamie will help you unravel the mystery of taste as you explore a wide range of aromas and flavours. Learn to appreciate the subtle differences in wine varietals and winemaking styles. Your taste buds will amaze you and you will learn a lifetime’s worth of tasting tips in just 60 minutes.

Burgundy's FinestHost: Jason WoodmanWoodman Wines & SpiritsVintages, LCBO$85 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.With more than 1,000 years of viticultural history, Burgundy holds a unique significance for wine lovers. Experience the beauty and legacy of its fabled landscape through an impressive range of wines from Domaine William Fèvre in Chablis, Bouchard Père & Fils in the Côte d’Or and Villa Ponciago in Fleurie. Veteran importer Jason Woodman will share his keen insight into these fine expressions of Burgundy’s subregions.

InterVin GoldHost: Christopher WatersCo-founder & Editor of VINES Magazine$75 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.Taste your way through eight top-scoring wines from the 2014 InterVin International Wine Awards. Christopher Waters will enlighten guests by sharing highlights from the competition that saw more than 1,300 wines from 16 countries put to the test. Let your inner wine geek come alive as you sip and savour your way through the best-of-the-best from this renowned international competition.

Friday, November 20th

Your Next Favourite WineHost: Jody Ness & Kevin FoxHost & Producer, Wine Portfolio (CNBC) Restauranteur$65 6:00p.m. – 7:30 p.m.Jody and Kevin will guide you through a tasting of Portugal’s best-loved wines from the Vinho Verde region. These white, sparkling and low alcohol wines with balanced acidity pair perfectly with holiday entertaining. ‘Tis the season to fall in love with a new wine region.

New Wine FrontiersHost: Will PredhommeSommelier$75 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.Join star sommelier Will Predhomme for a tasting of up-and-coming and yet-to-be discovered wines and regions. We all like to be at the front of a trend, and this intimate seminar features a selection of Will’s current favourites served with personal insights and stories related to each wine from one of Canada’s brightest wine minds. It will expose you to the wines before they break into the mainstream. Experience bottles from dynamic new wine regions, progressive winemakers and interesting grape varieties that can easily be considered new classic styles that every wine lover needs to try.

Volcanic WinesHost: John SzaboMaster Sommelier$85 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.From the Ring of Fire to the Mediterranean, join Master Sommelier John Szabo for an exotic tour of the world’s best volcanoes! And, of course, the exceptional wines that grow on them. Since the dawn of time, humankind has been drawn to these lethal but irresistible fissures in the earth, not least because the soils surrounding them are incredibly mineral-rich and whatever grows on them, including grapes, has flavours as intense as a cataclysmic volcanic eruption. Salty, gritty and powerful — these are the world’s best volcanic wines.

South African GEMSHost: Christopher Waters Co Founder/ Editor Vines Magazine$70 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.South African wineries have made a strong commitment to the quality of their wines and the fruits of this labour will be evident in the hard-to-get, highly-rated wines to be tasted during this session. Christopher’s travels to South Africa allow him to take you on a virtual journey to this remarkable country and to lead guests through an incredible tasting of wines as unique in character as the places they came from.

Saturday, November 21st

Billy's Best BottlesHost: Billy MunnellyBillysBestBottles.com$75 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.Are you interested in discovering a new way to understand wine, remove angst, and increase your enjoyment? A trip to any liquor store will reveal people wandering among the aisles before grabbing the same safe wine they’ve bought a dozen times before. Let Billy take you into a more friendly wine world. You will experience a revolutionary breakthrough in wine understanding — an eye-opener to how easy the subject can be if we think outside the bottle. This tasting promises to boost your understanding and confidence and open up a new world of possibilities for pleasure. Includes a tasting of eight of Billy’s best bottles.

Brave New World CabernetHost: Serge JanjicTreasury Wine Estates$80 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.Join Serge Janjic, Advanced Sommelier CMS for a masterclass exploring some of the best expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon in New World wine regions from Napa Valley in California to Coonawarra in Australia. Discover why Cabernet Sauvignon continues to be among the most sought-after, highly prized and highly priced wines on the planet.

A Very Vines HolidayHost: Christopher WatersCo Founder/ Editor Vines Magazine$65 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.Taste a selection of the top-scoring wines featured in the annual Holiday issue of VINES Magazine with Christopher Waters and surprise guests. Catch up on the latest buzz from the world of wine as you taste a range of wines that promise to add sparkle to your festivities. Learn why these top wines were singled out from the thousands sampled over the course of this year. Discover new favourites and how to serve them with style during the holidays.

La Rioja: Classic, Modern, TimelessHost: Carolyn HammondAuthor, Wine Critic, Sommelier$70 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.‘La Rioja is a land full of history, a land of wine…and without wine, the history of humanity would be very poor.’ Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel Prize of Literature and Honoris Causa at the University of La Rioja. Be part of the history and come to taste six of the best wines of this legendary region of Spain. Carolyn Hammond, will guide you through this exciting tour to the heart of one of the oldest winemaking traditions in Europe, and one of the most recognized Designations of Origin in the world.

Organic Bio-Dynamic WinesHost: Adam Behkor & Nelson AbreuWineWire.ca$70 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Join Adam Bekhor and Nelson Abreu, co-founders of online wine shop WineWire.ca for a in-depth look into the world of organic and bio-dynamic wines. Adam and Nelson have selected an outstanding lineup of dedicated winemakers that will have you questioning why you would drink conventionally made wines ever again. Learn all you need to know about organic and bio-dynamic wines and demystify what drives these passionate winemakers to make wine in the purest way possible.

Iconic Indulgence Hosts: Karina Mair & Roberto Salvino.Authentic Wines & Spirits $95 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Veteran wine experts Karina Mair & Roberto Salvino have assembled an incredible flight of iconic international wines that showcase how passion and tradition shape great wines. Taste top releases from great Tuscan estates Castello Banfi, Luce della Vite and Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, as well as premium selections from Amarone superstar Masi Agricola and Cristal champagne from the house of Louis Roederer. Be sure to get your tickets early as this star-studded tasting is bound to sell out quickly.

World of DrinksHost: Kevin BrauchThe World of Drinks$90 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.The Thirsty Traveler is back from his global search for the world’s most unique beverages and looking to showcase his latest discoveries in this energetic session. Always entertaining and unexpected, this dynamic seminar is filled with Brauch’s signature tales from his travels. He will provide an arsenal of his favourite spirits, beer and wine from around the globe, insight into their origin and more than a few moments of unabashed laughter to quench your thirst for the world’s best drinks.

California Style Speed TastingHost: Angela Aiello & GuestsiYellow Wine Club$75 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.Calling all California wine lovers! Join Angela Aiello, founder of iYellow Wine Club, and winery representatives to discover the sunny world of California wines. Taste some of the world’s most outstanding wines through this exciting tasting event. Based on the speed dating model, this fun and high-energy experience will deliver a fresh twist on the standard wine seminar. Explore ten incredible wine stations in this 90-minute session where you will have about six minutes at each station to taste the wine, hear the story behind the bottle, ask your questions and find your perfect match.

A Little ItalyHost: Zoltan SzaboSommelier$80 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.One of Toronto’s most distinguished sommeliers, Zoltan has a passion for Italy that has been honed by leading the wine programs at some of Toronto’s finest Italian restaurants and fine dining establishments on three continents. Zoltan brings eight handpicked selections to showcase the very best of Italy, highlighting regions, producers and vintages that every wine lover should know about. An award-winning wine taster and consummate host, Zoltan invites you to join him on a personally guided tour of Italy’s bounty that’s not to be missed.

This year’s program offers unrivalled access to the world's greatest wines and the most knowledgeable presenters including winemakers, media personalities and industry experts. Here are some of the presenter highlights for this year.

Kevin Brauch • Writer • Celebrity

The one and only Kevin Brauch, worldrenowned host of The Thirsty Traveler, globetrotter, bon viviant and, in his own words, “really great guy,” is back from his international search for the world’s most impressive beverages. From a talented young bartender working in Toronto’s busiest bars and restaurants to the titleholder as the man with “the best damn job in the world,” Kevin has immersed himself in the world of drinks. Kevin crosses the globe drinking the world’s finest spirits, wines, beers and eating the best food imaginable. This multiple-nominated, Gemini Awardwinning presenter also hosts MegaWorld and is the co-host of Iron Chef America.

Billy Munnelly • Educator • Writer

One of Canada’s most creative wine writers, Billy Munnelly has delivered light-hearted and enlightening wine advice for 30 years. Munnelly’s goal has been to remove confusion andintimidation from the wine selection process – taking it back from the socalled snobs. Before devoting his life to the pursuit of delicious, affordable wine, the Irish-born bon vivant spentyears in the restaurant industry. In 1983, Munnelly switched to drinking full-time and “hasn’t missed a day’s work since.”

Will Predhomme • Predhomme Market Insights

Will is a Canadian professional sommelier based in Toronto and the managing director of Predhomme Market Insights Inc. Will’s current projects include the The North Shore Project, a terroir-driven wine business, as well providing WSET programming. Will previously has operated as senior sommelier for Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants’ Canoe Restaurant & Bar, managed the development of Harrah’s Casino’s International Beverage Program, was a Product Consultant for the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and sommelier with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

John Szabo • Master Sommelier

John is a Master Sommelier, a principal critic for WineAlign.com and NationalPost.ca, and wine editor of Toronto’s CityBites Magazine. He’s the author of Pairing Food and Wine For Dummies, and has freelanced for Wine & Spirits Magazine, En Route, the Globe and Mail, VINES, Wine Access, Grapevine Magazine and Nation’s Restaurant News. You’ll hear him regularly talking wine or sharing wine tips on Classical 96.3FM, and if you dine at one of the several new restaurants at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, The Joey Group of restaurants or Cafe-Bar-Pasta in Toronto’s west end, you’ll be choosing wine from his program.

Christopher Waters • Writer

Christopher Waters is co-founder and editor of VINES, a national consumer magazine aimed at Canadians who buy, drink and enjoy wine and are passionate about the subject. His weekly wine column, Waters & Wine, is syndicated in Sun Media newspapers across Canada. In addition, Waters is head judge of InterVin International Wine Awards, Canada’s largest international wine competition. He is also an educator at the Cool Climate Oenology & Viticulture Institute at Brock University. Christopher travels the globe in search of the world’s best wines to enlighten and amaze his readers, students and fans. Congratulations Christopher on fifteen amazing years of Vines Magazine!

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